Furnace



Dec. 18, 1928.

c. H. CARPENTER FURNACE Filed July 17, 1926 2 Sheets$heet 1 WIITN ESSES:

INVENTOR AT ORNEY Dec. 18, 1928.

C. H. CAR PENTER FURNACE z Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed July 17, 1926 "INVENTOR Crafls fon/ib p AT R'EY Patent PATENT GBANSTON H. CARPENTER, OF IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR- T WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VIA.

FURNACE.

This invention relates to furnaces and particularly to conveying means for electrically heated furnaces.

An object of my invention is to provide,

at a relatively low cost of manufacture, a furnace ,for properly heat-treating rivets, bars and similar articles of manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a heat-treating furnace, simple and eflicient means for agitating the material that is being heat-treated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conveying means in a furnace for annealing rivets or short bars that will cause the articles being heat-treated to automatically orient or allne themselves.

Other objects will be apparent from the disclosure.

In the present embodiment of my invention, a furnace having an elongated chamher is provided with a movably mounted plate in said chamber for-supporting the material to be heat-treated. The plate is a itated or given a reciprocatory movement y suitable means, thereby causing the material to travel through the chamber at a relatively low rate of speed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a furnace embodying one form of my improved conveying means;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View, on the line II--II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a corrugated plate of one type for use in the conveyor;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a furnace embodying a modification of the conveying means;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a modification'of the agitating mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a feature of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6. Referring to the drawings, in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a furnace. 5 has walls of refractory material surrounded by a casing6 and preferably electrically heated by'means of coils 7. The furnace is supported, at its rear end, by means of a flange 8 and is adjustably supported, at its frontv end, by a jack 9 to permit of adjustment to any desired angle 0 inclination.

The furnace has a chamber 10 which is taken .Suitab 1926. Serial No. 123,218.

preferably of relatively great length, as compared with its width or height. The outer or front end of the chamber communicates with an opening 11 in the front wall of Y the furnace, while its inner end communicates with a discharge conduit 12, the lower end of which opens into a quench tank 13.

Longtiudinally disposed in the chamber and extending through the opening 11 is a corrugated plate 14 having side plates 15 rigidly attached thereto. The plate 14 is pivotally mounted near its inner or rear end by means of trunnions 16 fixed to the side plates. These trunnions are disposed in bearings 17 which are mounted on a column 18. Column 18 is integrally secured to a part 19 which is supported by the spring .20 and fits slidably in the cylindrical member 21.

Near the outer end of the plate 14, trunnions 22 are rigidly secured to the side plates 15 and rest in guides 23 Which are preferably integral with the yoke 24. The V yoke 24 is shown as secured to the column 25 by means of screw-threaded parts 26. The column 25 is telescopically mounted, in the sleeve 27 and is adjustably secured in place by means of a suitable screw member 28 which is slidably disposed'in a slot 29 in a cylindrical member 31. The part 27 is supported by a spring 30 and is slidably mounted in the cylindrical member 31.

The telescopic mounting of the column 25 permits adjustment of the plate 14 to conform to the angle of inclination of the furnace. The plate 14 is preferably maintained substantially arallel to the walls of the chamber 10. 8f course, the column 18 might also be telescopically mounted. e sealing means, such as sand boxes 32, are preferably provided at the junction points of the cylindrical members 21 and 31 with the furnace.

Means are provided to cause the corrugated plate 14 to oscillate about the pivot at 17. The oscillations are preferably of small amplitude. Such means, in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, consists of a cam 33 that engages the bottom of the corrugated plate 14 at its outer end and is fixedly mounted on a shaft 34, the bearings of which are not shown.

The shaft 34 is adapted to be driven bya pulley 35 which is operatively connected to a motor 36 by means of a belt 37 and a drive I pulley 38. The motor 36 is mounted on a I 36 is operating, the plate 14 will be caused to oscillate in a substantially vertical and horizontal direction. In the operation of the furnace, material or articles to be heattreated, such as rivets or short bars, are fed in at the front end of the furnace. The plate "14 is so adjusted that the angle of inclination will be just under the angle of repose of the material being heat-treated.

When the motor is operated, the oscillation of the plate 14, aided by the force of gravity, will cause the articles being heattreated to progress slowly from the front or outer end of the chamber 13 along the plate to the rear or inner end ofthe chamber until they reach the inner end of the plate 14 where they drop ed and fall through the discharge conduit into the quench tank.

The corrugations of the plate 14 form article-receiving paths and cause the articles being heat-treated, especially if the articles are short bars or rivets, to aline or orient themselves, so that one does not heat-shield another, as would be the case if they were piled promiscuously. The corrugations of the plate 14 may be straight or they may be waved or tortuous, as is the case with the form of plate 14a, shown in Fig. 3. .Such tortuous corrugations form paths of greater length than straight passages would and also-retard the passage of the material along the plate. I In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the furnace proper is substantially the same as the form shown in Fig. '1. Tn general, the furnace 40 consists of a refractory insulating portion 41 and casing 42 and has a chamber 43 which is similar to the chamber 13 of the furnace shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

/ Suitable electrical heating means 44 are provided adjacent to this chamber,

. A plate 45, similar to the plate 14, is provided in the chamber 43. The chamber 43 communicates, by means of a discharge assage 47, at its rear or inner end, wit a quench tank 48. The furnace rests, at its rear end, on a flange 49 and, at its front end it is adjustably supported by a jack 50.

The plate 45 is supported on a series of links 46, havingv hooks 51, integral with the links, that engage hooks 52 The hooks 52 p are secured to the plate by means of nuts 53. The links extend upwardly through holes in the roof of the furnace and have integral hooks 54 at their upper ends.

. furnace.

aeeaeeo The hooks 54 engage hooks 55 which are integral with the su porting members 56. The supporting mem ers 56 are resiliently mounted, by means of springs 57 and nuts 58, on a platform 59 that is supported above the furnace by means of pillars 60. The plate 45 is maintained preferably in substantially parallel relation with the Walls of the chamber 43.

It will thus be seen that the plate 45 is pivotally. mounted in the chamber 43 to permit oscillation or agitation of the same. Suitable means to agitate the plate 45 are provided. A convenient form of such means is shown in Fig. 4 and comprises a wheel 61 keyed to a vertical shaft 62 which is mounted in bearings 63. A post 64 is secured to the Wheel 61 at any convenient point. An arm 65 is adjustably mounted -on this post substantially parallel to the plate 45 and ispivotally connected near its outer end with the pin 66 that is secured to the underside of the plate 45. Of course, in actual practice, the pin 66 is nearer the centerof the wheel 61 than is shown in the drawings.

In order to obstruct the flow of heat from the chamber 43 through the openings through which the links 46 extend, sealing means 95 are provided. The individual sealing means comprise an annular member 95 96 having a groove'in which sand 97 or other granular material suitable for the purpose, may be located, and a complementary annular member 98 that is welded or suitably secured to the link 46. The mem- E66 ber 98 is provided with a downwardly ex tending rim portion that is partially embedded in the sand 97. As shown, the member 96 is supported by the casing 42 and is provided with an opening through which not the link 46 extends.

The shaft 62 is preferably driven by a motor 67 operatively connected to said shaft by means of a worm screw 68 and a worm gear wheel 69. The motor 67 is mounted on Me a platform 7 0 which'is secured to the body of the furnace. Of course, in either the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or in the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the motor may be mounted on the floor of the He building in which the furnace is housed, if desired. It will thus be seen that, when the motor 67 is started, the wheel 61 will rotate to cause a combined lateral and longitudinal movement of the plate, usually called a 112m panning movement.

The panning movement causes the material on the plate 45 to travel along the plate from its front end to its rear end where it will fall through the discharge passage 47 into the quench tank 48. The plate 45 may be so adjusted, by means of the nuts 58, that its angle of inclination will conform to the angle of inclination of the Studs 71, projecting through slots 72, adj'ustably secure the platform 59 in place. Such adjustable means are desirable to prevent possible binding of rods .46 when the angle of inclination of the furnace is varied.

In Fig. 6, a modified form of agitating mechanism is shown. In this form of my invention, the corrugated plate 75 is movably supported ,on roller bearings 77 that are mounted on the furnace floor 78. At the outer end of the plate, integral projections 7 9 are provided that are preferably pivotally connected to connecting rods 81 by means of pins 82. s

A sleeve 84 may be provided for maintaining the connecting rods 81 in proper alinement, and the rods are rigidly secured to this sleeve. The sleeve 84 engages the eccentric cam.85 on the cam shaft 86, which is rotatably mounted on hangers 87. The hangers are adjustably secured to a wall or other convenient support.

A pulley 90 is keyed to the end 91 of the cam shaft 86 and is operatively connected to an electric motor 92 or other prime mover by a belt 93. The motor is fastened to the floor. Of course, the motor may be directly connected to the connecting rods and be 3-0 mounted on a platform secured to the furnace, similar to'the platforms shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

When the motor 91 is operated, the cam 85 will be rotated and will impart to the plate 75 a reciprocatory motion in a direction substantially longitudinal thereof. Of course, in this form of my invention, the corrugated seat could be mounted on links similarly to the mountingshown in Fig. 4.

While furnaces of the types shown and described are especially useful in connection with the annealing of rivets or short bars, it is obvious that the may be used for other purposes, such as t e drying of wet granular or powdered material. I

While I have shown and described a particular form of my invention, changes may be efiected therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a furnace, in combination, an inclined plate having corrugations forming article-receiving paths, and means to agitate said plate 'to cause the articles to travel along said paths.

In a furnace, in combination, an inclined plate having corrugations forming article-receiving paths, said paths being tortuous, and means to agitate said plate to cause the articles to slowly progress along said paths.

of said plate, and a motor to drive said rotating means to cause the articles to progress along said plate.

5. The combination with a furnace having a chamber, of an inclined plate pivotally mounted in said chamber, said plate having corrugations forming article-receiving paths, and rotating means to agitate said plate.

6. The combination with an inclined furnace having an elongated chamber, of a pivotally mounted plate in said chamber extendlng substantially parallel to the walls of said chamber, means to vary the angle of inclination of said furnace, and means to agitate said plate.

7. The. combinatlon wlth an inclined furnace having an elongated chamber, of a pivotally mounted plate therein extending substantially parallel to the walls of said chamber, means to vary the angle of inclination of said furnace, means to adjust said plate to conform to the angle of inclination of'said furnace, and means to agitate said plate.

8. The combination heated furnace having a chamber, of elongated corrugated plate in-said chamber, said corrugated plate being provided with side plates, a resiliently supported (:01-

with an electrically 'umn near the innerend of'said furnace,

said corrugated plate being pivotally.

mounted on said column, a second resiliently supported column near the outer end of said furnace, saidsecond column having a yoke on its upper end, said yoke being provided with a pair of guide members, supporting trunnions mounted on said side plates and positioned in said guide members, a motor, a shaft operatively connected -to said motor, and-a cam mounted on said shaft and operatively connected to the outer end of the corrugated plate for agitating said plate.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name Jul CRANSTON CARPENTER. 

